


The Dress

by Requin



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-20
Updated: 2017-08-20
Packaged: 2018-12-17 22:31:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11860968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Requin/pseuds/Requin
Summary: This time Serena does kiss a woman at a party. Not in Stepney.





	The Dress

Bernie entered the ballroom where the reception was being held and looked around, hoping to see Serena. She saw Raf and Fletch conspiring in a corner, looking very dapper in their suits. The rest of AAU was around Hanssen, and judging by everyone’s faces, it didn’t look like he was telling a particularly interesting story.

Bernie recognised most of the people in the room, smiling at the ones who said hello, but she still couldn’t see Serena so she accepted a flute of champagne from one of the waiters and joined Raf and Fletch. There was a big banner above their heads claiming Holby City had won the prestigious National Health Service Trust Award for Best English Trust. Personally, Bernie could not have cared less, but Hanssen had made the party mandatory, even going so far as getting cover for everyone, so she wasn’t going to complain. 

After the awkwardness of the last few weeks, with the kiss and the discomfort the following day, Bernie was ready to think about something else. She laughed at one of Fletcher’s bad jokes, happy to see he was well enough to attend and have fun, sipped her surprisingly good champagne and tried to relax. 

Truth be told, she wasn’t quite sure she had dealt with the Serena question very well, and wondered if she hadn’t missed something. But she definitely hadn’t imagined Serena looking so uncomfortable the whole day that she could barely look at her, and they had become such good friends that Bernie was loathed to have compromised that with a kiss. It might have been wonderful and hot and thrilling, but Bernie hadn’t been thinking, and she had almost ruined one of the best things in her life. Well, she thought, not this time. This time she was going to stick to it. 

She drank more champagne, gobbled down a few canapés and raised an eyebrow at the bad 80s ballads that a dodgy looking DJ kept playing. 

“Oh, my, someone’s on the prowl tonight” Fletcher said with a laugh. He was looking behind Bernie’s head so she turned around and suddenly everything was very still. 

Serena had entered the room. 

Bernie’s mouth opened to form words, but nothing came out because she couldn’t think. Serena was wearing a black dress with an indecent neckline, revealing a slender neck, collarbones that begged to be kissed, and Bernie closed her eyes when she realised she could just make out the top of Serena’s breasts. The room was very hot and stuffy, and Bernie downed her champagne in one go, smiling weakly when Serena spotted them and made her way towards their corner. 

Bernie breathed in slowly, hoped she wasn’t going to hyperventilate, and watched in wonder as Serena moved, her hips swaying and her smile bright. Bernie was so taken with the dress that she hadn’t noticed the shoes Serena was wearing. She tried to hide her whimper in a cough, but Raf looked at her with amused eyes. Serena was wearing leopard print stilettoes, and Bernie’s brain had stopped working. 

“Good evening gentlemen, Bernie.” Was it just her or was Serena’s voice lower? Bernie smiled tightly, saved from responding when Hanssen took to the stage at the back of the room for his speech. Serena turned and stood next to her, their arms and shoulders touching. 

Bernie tried not to fidget but it was hard when Serena’s perfume, the spicier one, the one that Serena wore in the evenings, seemed to envelop her, leaving her with no respite. 

Hanssen droned on and used way too many figures and was no help in providing any kind of distraction. Bernie shifted on her feet and Serena swayed with her. 

“Is it me or is Henrik a little buzzed?” Serena whispered in her ear. Bernie froze, shivering a little at Serena’s breath on her skin. She was way too close. Bernie couldn’t pay attention to anything, least of all if Hanssen was slurring his words. The man was a hard worker and Bernie knew he had toiled incessantly to win this award. He deserved a drink, hell, he deserved a hundred. Serena smiled at her and she forgot all about Swedish CEOs. No, Serena’s smooth shoulders and dangly gold earrings were far more interesting. 

She clapped a beat too late when Hanssen finished his speech and then the party started in earnest, the music louder and the waiters carrying trays of drinks. 

“Can I get you a drink, Serena?” Bernie needed a little breather from the enticing perfume.   
“Yes, a red wine, Major, if you please” Serena’s voice was definitely lower, and Bernie was pretty sure she had just winked as well. She swallowed a little uncertainly, smiled at Raf’s raised eyebrow, and went in search of a waiter. 

“So who is the lucky fellow, then, Serena?” Fletch was saying when Bernie came back with two glasses. Serena smiled brilliantly and their fingers touched. Bernie blinked, her hand tingling. She felt like a teenager, her mind travelling back to hours spent staring at the pretty PE teacher in sixth form, and she smiled at how silly she must have looked. Serena was the sun to her sunflower. She couldn’t help but look at her, holding court amongst her AAU family, the celebrated surgeon who saved lives everyday and who was so fiercely protective of the entire ward. 

“Can’t a girl dress up just because she feels like it?” Serena said after a sip of wine. She was wearing a darker shade of lipstick. Bernie wondered what it tasted like. 

“And anyway, everyone made an effort tonight. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a suit, Fletch” Bernie hummed in agreement. 

“Ah, well, it’s a big night, innit?” Serena smiled and raised her glass, and she looked at Bernie with her head slightly tilted, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Bernie gulped. 

“Indeed it is, Fletch” Serena drawled. Raf smiled in his glass. Bernie cleared her throat. 

Serena’s voice was doing funny things to her belly and her heart had just sped pretty drastically. She wasn’t going to survive the night. 

“If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and congratulate Henrik” Serena dipped her head and left them and Bernie sighed in relief. Fletch went in search of more beers.

“Well, someone’s got it bad” Bernie’s head snapped up, but Raf’s eyes were free of judgement. He just looked amused and happy. 

“I don’t know what…”

“Oh come on Bernie. I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but it’s pretty obvious who Serena dressed up for tonight” Bernie looked over at Serena, so breathtakingly beautiful, and her heart soared at the sight of her radiant smile. She had it bad, she admitted to herself. Serena turned her head, as if she knew she was being watched, and she raised her glass in Bernie’s direction, her smile even wider. Raf chuckled. 

“She’s a good woman,” he said softly. 

“Yes, she is. I just don’t know if I deserve her.” It felt good to say it. She had spent the last few nights torturing herself over that kiss. Raf put a hand on her arm. He looked at her kindly, his handsome face serious and intent. 

“Serena doesn’t give her attention freely. You must be doing something right” Bernie nodded, her breathing a little shaky. Maybe she did deserve a shot at happiness. Maybe her long penance was finally over. Serena laughed at something Hanssen said and the sound made her palms sweat. Raf squeezed her arm. 

“Want another?” Bernie hummed and barely noticed him leaving. Serena was coming back towards her. 

“Well, that’s done. How are you? You look very nice in that colour” Bernie blushed. She had put on a slightly fancier version of the clothes she normally wore, and was sporting black trousers and a forest green silk jacket. Serena’s eyes were going up and down her body and Bernie tried not to squirm. She also admired the ease with which Serena gave compliments, Bernie was always fumbling them, and she also never knew how to take them when they weren’t about her professional abilities. Serena, however, thrived on compliments, like a flower with water, so Bernie smiled and breathed in.

“That dress is…incredible” Serena’s eyes twinkled and Bernie could swear her cheeks got a little pink. Now if only she hadn’t sounded like a lovesick 15-year old, her success would’ve been complete. Unfortunately, her voice had been a little too breathy, and Serena’s raised eyebrow and obvious delight were proof enough. 

“Why thank you, Major” Serena looked like the cat who got the cream and the flirtatious smile gracing her lips sent Bernie’s poor brain into a tailspin.

Somewhere in the background, the 80s playlist had given way to the current charts, much to the delight of the younger members of staff. Serena seemed happy to stay with her all night, even though Bernie was sure she would be welcome in any of the little circles around the dance floor. 

“Say, what were you talking about with Raf just now? It seemed awfully serious” Bernie bit her bottom lip. She had lied to Serena too many times, about Alex, about Cam, and she didn’t want to lie any longer, but this felt a little momentous and her nerves kicked in. 

“He told me you were a good woman” She chose to say. Serena huffed. 

“Well I should bloody hope so, I’ve pulled him out of enough scrapes over the years. He should name his first born after me” Bernie chuckled, nodding in agreement. 

“Mind you” Serena continued “I don’t think one should call a boy Serano” Bernie laughed, a surprised honk escaping her mouth and Serena joined her, eyes sparkling, looking so lovely Bernie forgot to breathe. 

“They really love you, your staff, you know” Bernie said seriously after a little while. Serena looked at her with a pleased smile. 

“Well, I love them too” They observed the dance floor in companionable silence, so close together Bernie could feel the belt of Serena’s dress digging into her hip. Raf was dancing enthusiastically with Morven and Fletcher was laughing his head off, bopping along besides them. They looked happy and that made Bernie smile with contentment. 

“Care for a spin?” Serena put her hand on Bernie’s lower back, applying just a tiny bit of pressure. 

“Oh, I don’t know, I’m not much of a dancer, not to this music, anyway” Bernie knew the waltz and the fox-trot, one had to in the army for formal functions, but the charts were beyond her. Serena rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand. 

“Come on, no one knows what they’re doing” And then she dragged Bernie along. Morven squealed when she saw them and put her hands in the air, Raf throwing some pretty dodgy moves next to her. Bernie gave up and burst out laughing, making everyone else laugh too. Just as she was getting into the swing of things, having more fun than she’d had in years and thoroughly enjoying watching Serena move, the music changed abruptly. A few people groaned and Bernie looked around in confusion, but before she could escape Serena took her hand and slide against her. 

“Humour me, won’t you?” Serena breathed out, actually batting her eyelashes. Bernie gulped. She hesitantly put a hand on Serena’s waist, and when Serena didn’t protest, relaxed slightly and started moving. The beat was pretty slow and it was mainly a saxophone and a man’s voice crooning about love. Serena brought them closer, and soon she had her face pressed against Bernie’s temple, and she felt so good, her curves moulding into Bernie’s body in all the right places. The lights dimmed to the happy hoots of the dancing couples and the rest of the dance floor faded away. Bernie did see Raf and Fletch swaying next to each other pretty closely, but before she could mention it to Serena, she felt lips just under her ear and she couldn’t help but shiver. 

“Well, this is rather nice, don’t you think?” Serena whispered. Bernie chuckled a little nervously but certainly didn’t contradict her. Her mind was on Raf’s words and she steeled herself to gather up some courage. Serena was her best friend, yes, and they were a great team, a sight to behold when they worked together in theatre, and all of that was very precious. But she wanted more, and for the first time, she allowed herself to think it might be possible. The lights suddenly went out completely. There was laughter all around them, and Bernie made a move to untangle herself, but Serena held her firmly and in the darkness Bernie felt lips on her cheek. She exhaled shakily and her legs stopped working so she brought them to a standstill. Serena hesitantly put a hand on Bernie’s shoulder and Bernie dipped her head slowly, and then they were kissing. Just a brush of lips at first, soft and a little unsure, but then Bernie heard a whimper and she promptly lost her mind and kissed Serena properly, lips crashing together, and when she felt Serena’s tongue for the first time she felt it throughout her whole body, like an electric shock. 

The lights came back up and they sprung apart, Bernie’s eyes wide and Serena looking like she’d been run over by a truck. Bernie watched as Serena touched her own lips and only started breathing again when Serena smiled, her eyes bashful and a little embarrassed. 

“Sorry, I…” 

“Are you kidding? I’ve been wanting to do that for weeks” It felt good to tell the truth for once, and Bernie was rewarded with the most brilliant smile. 

“Want to get out of here?” Bernie’s heart sped up and she nodded a little too quickly, not even minding the knowing laugh behind her as they walked to the door. Once they were out of sight in a long carpeted hallway, Bernie’s nerves came swooping back. 

“Are you sure, Serena? Because I don’t want you to…” She didn’t get to finish her sentence because suddenly she was pressed against the wall and kissed rather thoroughly. She gasped when Serena slid her hands on her face, holding her close. 

“Now you listen to me, Bernie Wolfe and you listen to me carefully” Serena whispered against her lips. Bernie nodded dumbly, still pretty out of it from that kiss. “I have been thinking about this for weeks. I know we need to talk and we will, believe me, but right now…” And then they were against the wall again, almost drinking each other in and Bernie gave as good as she got, her hands trembling on Serena’s back. She could feel the heat of Serena’s skin through her dress and that made her a little dizzy, desire pooling low in her belly. She couldn’t believe this was happening, that she was allowed to touch Serena and kiss her, that she could lick the shell of her ear and hear that whimper again. Serena’s hands were in her hair now and things were going to get pretty indecent pretty fast if they continued like this, so Bernie wrenched herself away, panting. 

“Let’s not give half the hospital a show” She managed to say. Serena let her forehead rest against Bernie’s, her breathing laboured, and nodded with a shaky smile. 

Getting into the car led to another delay, as neither wanted to drop the other’s hand and they ended up tangled against the car door, hands under each other’s coats and only separating when they heard a wolf whistle from a cyclist. They laughed, managed to get into the car, and Bernie took a second to calm herself. It wouldn’t do to drive into a tree now that life had given her everything she wanted. She heard Serena breathe in and out, and as they rounded a corner, she grasped her thigh and left her hand there, Serena covering it with her own. The drive only took 15 minutes, and there was no one on the road at this hour, but time seemed to stretch like toffee, and Bernie couldn’t help but steal glances at her passenger, her breath dying in her throat when she saw how flushed Serena was. 

Bernie kept her hands in her pockets while Serena fished for her keys in her bag, and she smiled at how Serena’s hands trembled, missing the key hole a few times. The air was warm and pleasant, and Bernie took a few steps towards her, her hand resting on her shoulder, just needing contact. 

“Jason?” Bernie asked when Serena finally managed to open the door. 

“He’s at Alan’s for the weekend” So Bernie pounced. The living room was dark and Bernie had never been in there so she let Serena guide them, her body moulded against her, bumping into a table and then gasping when they hit the sofa and crashed onto it, Serena in her lap. They hadn’t stopped kissing, and now Serena was squirming, her knees on either side on Bernie’s legs and everything was delicious: Serena’s lips, her hands on her face, her whimpers, and Bernie couldn’t keep her hands off her. She removed Serena’s coat and moaned at the heat coming off her, the dress silky under her fingers. Before she knew what was happening, Serena had removed her jacket and had slid her fingers under her top, skirting her ribs and making her gasp and pant in Serena’s mouth. She dimly remembered that Serena was wearing a dress, and so she palmed Serena’s thighs, the fabric slowly giving way under her hands and suddenly there was smooth bare skin and Serena’s hips bucked and Bernie buried her face in under the little golden earrings, breathing in the lovely spicy perfume. She was drunk on Serena’s whimpers, wanted to spend hours just listening to her. When Bernie’s hands touched a new piece of fabric, a lacy one this time, Serena arched her back, her breasts flushed against Bernie’s chest. 

“Oh, Christ, Bernie, I…please, please, I need…” Serena gasped and Bernie sensed the obvious urgency, couldn’t ignore how Serena was writhing in her lap. 

“I’ve got you, Serena” It was easy to unbuckle the belt on Serena’s waist and ruck up the beautiful dress even further. Serena braced herself on her shoulders, her eyes wild and dark, her face contorted in a grimace of pleasure. Bernie took off the dress in one movement, moaning at all the skin on show. Serena was gorgeous, just like she expected, and her hands automatically slid off the black bra straps, unhooked the rest and there was Serena in all her glory. Bernie couldn’t believe it. Serena was the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.   
“Oh, please don’t tease, I can’t… how are you doing this to me?” Serena sounded like she was two seconds from coming, and Bernie was damned if she was going to let her without touching her. 

“You are so beautiful, Serena, so beautiful. I want to make you feel so good. Just let me…” Bernie leaned forward and took a nipple between her lips, marvelling at how hard it was. Serena cried out, her hips ever moving, and Bernie reached down and felt the wet heat between Serena’s legs. And just like that, as if they had been together for years, Bernie worshipped the woman she loved without any reservations. With every touch, every kiss, she tried to show just how much Serena meant to her. She pulled her head back to watch Serena’s face as she touched her, watched with fascination as Serena gasped, groaned, twitched, and she learned to increase her pace and curl her fingers just so, and soon Serena snapped her shoulders back and cried out, her thighs and arms tensed, and Bernie laughed with joy and relief, because she had done that, she had given Serena pleasure, and that was the best feeling in the world. 

“God…I’ve never…not this much” Bernie’s heart soared. She could die now, she decided, and she would have no regrets. Serena was slumped against her, breathing harshly in her ear, and she was tracing wide circle on her smooth back, and the world had disappeared but for the two of them. 

“I love you” Bernie whispered in the stillness. Serena lifted her head slowly and smiled brilliantly, her eyes glinting in the street light streaming through the open curtains. 

“I love you too, so much” Serena replied with such certainty that Bernie had to believe her.   
They kissed, far more leisurely this time, and Bernie’s moans were the only sounds in the room. 

“Can I touch you?” She heard Serena ask quietly. She nodded quickly and felt Serena smile against her lips. 

“Can you show me what you like?” Serena asked, a hand on Bernie’s shoulder. Bernie nodded again, overwhelmed and very uncomfortable in her clothes. 

“You’ll have to forgive any shortcomings” Serena continued a little uncertainly. Bernie snorted, and she put a hand under Serena’s chin. Did Serena not know the effect she had on her? She lifted her hips, closing her eyes at the added friction and started unfastening the belt holding up her trousers. Serena shifted and batted her hands away, her trembling fingers making short work of the hook, and Bernie took one of her hands in her own and slipped it inside. Serena gasped. 

“Do you feel that?” She asked harshly, her throat dry. Serena nodded, her eyes wild and unfocused. Bernie was soaking wet. 

“All for you, Serena,” Bernie said with difficulty. She watched as Serena swallowed, her neck strained and shiny with sweat. Bernie longed to lick it, but she sat back and let Serena explore. She had stared at Serena’s hands countless times in theatre and at work in general. She looked down and inhaled sharply through her nose, her belly contracting painfully as Serena’s fingers moved and stroked. 

Serena was a talker. 

“Oh God, Bernie, you feel so good, so good, I never imagined this would feel…oh God look at you…” And on it went, all in that low voice, whispered hotly in her ear. Bernie moaned and Serena leaned forward to kiss her and when she sucked on Bernie’s tongue, Bernie came with a startled shout, her hips shooting off the sofa. 

“Christ, Serena.” Serena hummed and gave a chuckle so low that Bernie felt it more than heard it. They were clutched together, Bernie’s head nestled against Serena’s breasts and there was nowhere else she wanted to be. 

“Is your back ok?” Bernie laughed, the concern being so like Serena, and she smiled at the warmth spreading form her chest. She was loved. Serena loved her. 

“Yes, It’s fine. More than fine. It’s perfect.” She wasn’t talking about her back anymore and she watched in awe as a blush spread from Serena’s collarbones to her cheeks. She let her fingers map Serena’s lips, her breath hitching when Serena licked the pad of her thumb. 

“I don’t want to keep this confined to theatre,” Serena whispered above her. 

“No, I don’t think that would be a good idea. Think of the nurses.” Serena laughed. “Can we try it? This? Us?” Bernie tried to hide the catch in her voice, but she failed miserably. 

“Yes, yes I want that very much,” Serena sounded so sure, and the words were like a soothing balm on her heart. 

“Will you wear that dress again? On a date?” Serena looked down and laughed. 

“Deal.”


End file.
